Machine for building and rerolling wire fences



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. S. EDGE.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING AND REROLLING WIRE FENCES.

Patented July 28, 1885.

NTUR

ATTORNEYS WITNESSES (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. S. EDGE.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING AND REROLLING WIRE FENCES.

INVENTOR. y

1' ATTORNEYS.

N PETERS. Phaln-Lilhogrzpher. WalMnglnn, n. c.

lhvrrnn ra'rns .a'rnnr @rrrcra JOHN S. EDGE, OF BRYAN, TEXAS.

MACHINE FOR BUILDING AND REROLLING WIRE FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No 323,303, dated July 28, 1885.

Application filed June 16, 1884. (No model.)

To all 2071 0177, may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. EDGE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bryan, in the county of Brazos and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Building and Rcrolling ire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine for building and rerolling wire fences. Fig. 2 is aside view of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical sectional View, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken through one of the shafts or axles.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to machines for constructing wire fences and for rerolling the wire whenever it shall be desired to remove the fence from one location to another; and it consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the frame of my machine, which is com posed of the bot-tom pieces, B 13, having the front ends rounded and secured together by the cross-pieces F F F, the middle one of which is provided with a toolbox, G. To these bottom pieces are secured two triangular frames composed of the upright pieces (J O and C O and united at their tops by the cap 1). To the under sides of the pieces 0 O are secured in wardly-extending flanges S S, provided with a series of blocks, T T, secured to each flange. Through these flanges and blocks, and also through loose pieces X X, extending along the edges of the uprights O O,arebolts U, which, by means of nuts V, act as clamps or brakes for the rollers L,worlring between the piecesX X and the blocks T. The front part of the frame is provided with a series of three and the rear part with a series of two shafts or rollers, L, for supporting the bundles of wire, and working in suitable bearings.

The uprights O G are provided with notches or open-sided bearings H, by means of which the rollers L can be readily removed and replaced whenever re quired.

H are notched latches which are pivoted to the uprights G C upon their inner sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and which retain the rollers L in place. Near one end of these rollers are slots N, through which pass the removable wedges 0, for the purpose of securing the spools of wire on the shafts or rollers L against the points Q, of the inwardly-pointed rods P, which are secured to the rollers at a suitable distance from the slots N. Just inside the latches H chain wheels or pulleys are secured to the shaft, and just outside the upright pieces ratchet-wheels are secured,which engage with the pawls M. these rollers are made square, so as to receive a crank by which the rollers can be turned.

E E E are transverse rollers supported by the rear uprights, C and C, over which the wire from the front part of the machine passes, thus preventing the wire from the front part of the machine from interfering or becoming tangled with that from the rear part.

W represents a chain or band which passes over the pulleys K, but which is only used when a fence is being rerolled upon the spools.

R R are pointed diagonal braces secured to the sides of the frame in such a manner as to allow the frame to move forward, but to enter the ground, and prevent it from moving backward.

The operation is as follows: W' hen it is desired to build a fence, as many of the rollers as it is desired to have strands of wire in the fence are supplied with spools of wire, so arranged as to unroll from the top, except the middle one in the front part of the machine, which unwinds from the bottom, and which necessitates putting the wire underneath the middle roller E, instead of over it, as is done with the other two wires and rollers. The pawls H are turned on their fastenings so as not to engage with the ratchets, but to allow the rollers L to turn backward. The brakes are tightened on the ends of the rollers, so as to prevent the momentum of the spool of wire from turning it faster than is sufficient to pay off the wire as the machine moves forward. The machine is then moved forward a sufficient The outer ends of' distance, after having secured the ends of the wire to a post. All the wires are then stretched to the same tension before being fastened to the fence-post by winding each roller and spool by means of a crank applied to the end and fastened by engaging the pawls with the ratchets. The braces R R prevent the backward movement of the machine when the wires are being tightened. The machine is then moved forward, and so on until the fence is completed.

WVhen it is desired to remove a fence, the wires are loosened from the posts to which they have been fastened, and the ends are secured to the spools on the rollers. The chain or band W is properly adjusted to the wheels, so that motion imparted to any one of the rollers by a crank is conveyed to each of the other rollers, and thus all the wires are wound upon their respective spools as the machine advances.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1.. In a machine for building and rerolling wire fences, the combination, with a pair of sills or runners, of a suitable frame having two series of revolving shafts adapted to receive and support the wire-spools, inwardly-projecting blocked flanges secured to the uprights of the frame on one side of the machine, detachable pieces extending along the edges of the two uprights and .parallel with the said flanges, and bolts passing through the block-flanges and through the detachable pieces and adapted to tighten the said detachable pieces against the sides of the ends of the shafts, thereby forming brakes by means of which the rotary motion of the shaft may be controlled, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a machine for building and rerolling wire fences, the combination, with a portable frame consistiiig of a pair of slanting uprights at the front end and a pair of inclined uprights at the rear end and united at their tops, a series of removable shafts or rollers supporting the spools of wire arranged in the front pair of uprights, and a series of shafts or rollers supporting spools of wire and a series of guide-rollers arranged in the rear pair of uprights, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for building and rerolling wire fences, the combination, with the described portable frame and series of rollers supporting the spools to receive the wire, and the guide-rollers arranged as described, of a chain wheel or pulley secured to each of said supporting-rollers, a chain or band passing around said chain wheels or pulleys, and means for imparting motion to said chain and rollers, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. EDGE. 

